How I Ended Up as a Holistic Nutritionist Pt. 2

At some point during this time, I started listening to a health podcast. I would walk circles around the outside of the gatehouse (I worked at a conservation area) when there were no customers and listen to this podcast. Through this, I began picking up little tips and applying them to my life. I started walking more, which was the only form of exercise I could do at the time. From there, I got back to the gym. I was very limited in what I could do, but I was making slow progress. I cleaned up my eating habits. I did another elimination diet, and I took it very seriously this time. When I tried reintroducing gluten, I had symptoms that suggested I was gluten intolerant. Something I had suspected for years but also didn’t want to accept. My IBS was the worst it had been at this time, and I was referred to see a gastroenterologist. Most days, I was afraid to leave the house because of this. I kept a detailed food diary that included what I ate, how I felt, my bowel movements and my period symptoms. I arrived at the appointment armed with my notes and excited to get some answers. My appointment lasted all of 10 minutes in which the doctor told me I couldn’t be tested for celiac unless I wanted to start eating gluten again (you must be eating it for the test to work). Did he look at my food diary that I had painstakingly kept for 2 months? Absolutely not. Did he try to figure out why I was having IBS so badly I had a hard time leaving the house? Nope. He just sent me on my way with literally no answers.

Another doctor, another let down.

It was at this time that I realized I was on my own in this. No doctor was going to help me solve my health problems because these doctors were not trained in nutrition and lifestyle. It was these experiences one after another after another that made me realize this: doctors are amazing health professionals in emergencies. Doctors are not useful in chronic disease, nutrition or lifestyle unless you’re looking for a pill to mask your symptoms. Break your arm? Doctors are great. Get in a car accident? You bet I’m going to see a doctor. Looking for nutrition advice to improve your diabetes? Run in the other direction.

Since moving, I wound up getting a job at another pharmacy, this time an integrative pharmacy that specialized in sports supplements and natural products. I learned a ton about vitamins, minerals and supplements working there. During this time, I really started to take my health seriously. Working in the fitness space, it was hard not to. No one wants to take nutrition or supplement advice from an overweight girl who doesn’t work out. I was in the height of my training, spending hours a day at the gym and meal prepping all my food. I wasn’t eating any particular diet at this point, just trying hard to not be hungry. I was ravenous all the time. I ate a lot of carbs in the form on gluten free bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, etc. and was really focused on my protein intake. I was using a ton of caffeinated supplements because I would come home from work with lots of samples to try. I got to the smallest I had ever been. I was so proud of myself for finally getting to a weight I was happy with and being more comfortable in my body. But what I didn’t realize at the time was just how unsustainable that lifestyle was. I couldn’t keep up with 2-4 hours in the gym 6-7 days a week. Sure, I was beginning to like how my body was looking, but at the same time I was dealing with severe hip pain and still having major PMS problems. I developed an ovarian cyst that was huge and bleeding, causing me to be referred to a gynecologist. When I went to see her, she asked me some questions and then told me that the only way to prevent more cysts was to go on birth control.

Now guys, I am not saying that birth control is the devil. But I certainly do not think that most women should be on it, especially for things other than pregnancy prevention. And especially without proper knowledge on how it affects our body. I pride myself on the fact that I have never taken it and never will. I told this doctor (a woman, by the way) that I was not interested in going on BC and asked if there were any other options. She looked me dead in the face and told me that if I wasn’t interested in going on BC that I shouldn’t bother coming back to see her again. I couldn’t believe it. I left, feeling deflated once again, not knowing what my next steps should be.

Over the next year or so, I tried to focus on my nutrition. I learned a ton about vitamins and minerals and the microbiome. I also enrolled in the Holistic Nutrition course that I have since graduated from. While studying, I applied many things I was learning to my own health, and I truly did see some improvements. By this time, I did not have IBS symptoms anymore and my back pain was in check. After removing gluten from my diet, my psoriasis all but went away. All that was left was my period issues.

I was having severe cramping; my breasts blew up like balloons and nearly doubled in size leading up to my period. They were in so much pain. I would get bad back pain when the cramping would happen. I had heavy and irregular periods. I would be extremely emotional and irritable around that time, and I knew I was not pleasant to be around.

Once again, lucky beyond belief to have the mom I do, my mom suggested that I ask my family doctor to a referral to a different gynecologist – one that specialized in endometriosis – because it runs in my family.

If you’ve ever waited to see a specialist in Canada, you’d know you’ll be waiting for at least 6 months. It was nearly a year before I saw this specialist. I had a phone consultation after the first few months of waiting, in which I had the most surprising phone call of my life. This doctor actually recommended something other than medication!! Of course, meds were still listed. But they also suggested seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist and considering nutrition changes. My mind was completely blown! I knew this doctor was the right choice. While I waited for my appointment, I dialed in my nutrition again. I reduced my sugar intake, and I ate quite well. I saw the physiotherapist as well. When the time finally came for my appointment, I arrived expecting to have an answer. I had been waiting so long for an answer. And I got one! Just not the one I was expecting. While they couldn’t rule out endometriosis, I was told that I had polycystic ovaries. Well, I wasn’t expecting that.

I spent days researching what PCOS is and what causes it. On the surface, they say that it’s something that just happens and that there’s no cure. After digging a little deeper, I learned that there is a cause and a treatment – insulin resistance is what causes PCOS. And through root cause healing, fixing that insulin resistance is what improves PCOS. Women all around the world are being told by their doctors that there is nothing they can do to improve their PCOS symptoms aside from going on birth control. But what those doctors are failing to do is find the root cause of the problem. In this case, the root cause of PCOS is insulin resistance. If these doctors counselled their patients to eat less sugar and improve their insulin resistance, there wouldn’t be so many women out there suffering from the hormonal trauma of the birth control pill.

Anyways, that’s a conversation we can have another time.

Once I figured out how to deal with this new condition, I set out to improve my insulin resistance problems. This included reducing my sugar intake, taking a break from alcohol, focusing on protein and healthy fats and more.

I no longer have regular back pain, severe psoriasis, IBS, or recurring ovarian cysts. I know how to balance my blood sugar so that it doesn’t cause me the problems it used to. My PMS is almost gone and has improved so much.

I wanted to share my story with you today because I wanted to show you that I am still a work in progress and I still suffer from the symptoms of my conditions sometimes. But through a holistic approach to my body and food, I am proud to have come back from every issue I have faced. These things take time and they take patience, and it’s important to note that healing is not linear. It’s got ups and downs just like everything. But through consistency, it is possible.

<3 Maggie